Supermodel Series: Milla Jovovich

In 1998, My Aunt Maggie (make-up artist) invited me to attend the launch of Dior's fragrance Hypnotic Poison. I think it was the first launch I had ever attended, if not, it was certainly the grandest. I remember being introduced to many important fashion people but, of course, being a 20 year old country girl, I was far more interested in the free bar serving individual bottles of Moët Champagne and the random attendance of Paul from Neighbours...

G'day 

...and then I saw Milla.

My bedroom walls were plastered with images of the supermodels of the time, Linda, Claudia, Christy, Helena, Naomi, Kate, Karen, Claudia Mason, Trish Goff, Nadja, Cindy but the image of Milla in the red gloss eyeshadow and matching lips had pride of place on my bedroom wall and has remained one of my favourite images ever since.

That particular look (above) was created by Make-up Artist Stephane Marais. The video below is a very short introduction to some of the other looks Stephane created around the same time. 

I used this image as my inspiration for this tutorial

PRODUCTS USED:
Becca Luminous Skin Colour
Dior Skin Sculpt Concealer 02
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz - Medium Ash
Chanel Illusion d'Ombres 82
Daniel Sandler Polychromatic eyeshadow - Lava
MUFE Aqua Pencil - 18L
Kevyn Aucoin Basic Brown liner
Accessorize Volumising Mascara
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara
M.A.C Auburn Lip Pencil
M.A.C Chicory
Illamasqua Creme Blush in Zygomatic
Chanel Notorious Sculpting Veil
Nouba 276 Lipstick

Barbara Carranza Pro Brow Designer

Barbara Carranza has developed these innovative shaped tweezers which are designed in a specific shape to aid in shaping the brow and removing the hair with ease.

The directions below show how to line the tweezers up to the brow to get a precise natural shape that is tailored to your eye shape.

  We really love these tweezers here at Pixiwoo and find them particularly good at not only removing strong brow hair but also the fine, fluffy vellus hair that is harder to grip.

If you're not so confidant or have never tried tweezering your own brows then you may find these tricky to get used to. Although really easy to grip if you are heavy handed you may end up removing more hair than you first wanted too!

We also like to use these when applying false lashes. They grip strip lashes or individuals with ease and place them close to your lash line.

Available for £15.00 from www.barbaracarranza.com

Anastasia Holiday sets

Anastasia always have the coolest promotional material to support their new launches so we were not disappointed when we saw the 'Kisses on my list' and 'Want you to want me' eyeshadow palette information.

This collection has a huge 70's influence and with that in mind the promotional information is presented as a beautiful vintage record sleeve.
The inner cover displays gorgeous images of models adorned in 70's glam make-up and product shots. Inside the cover there is even a card record!

The 'Kisses on my list' lip gloss kit consists of three sheer pearl finish glosses that provide a high shine with a rich moisturising texture.
The other three glosses are new Hypercolour glosses which react with your skins natural oils to stain your lips with your very own custom shine.
The set is $30 for the six glosses.

Want you to want me eyeshadow palette is a clutch style mirrored palette of nine eye shadows, black eyeliner and clear brow gel. A double ended eye shadow brush is included which has a tapered socket brush one end and a larger fluffy blending brush the other end.

The colours in this palette are gorgeous and I love the 70's inspired names of the shades.
A mixture of mattes and frosted nudes, pinks, bronze, gold and plums these colours feel almost creamy. The colour pay off is strong and blending is so easy. To make the metallic colours shine more and to add boldness use them wet.
This kit is $34.

To purchase and view other products from the fabulous Anastasia Beverly Hills take a look at their website on http://www.anastasia.net

Contouring essentials

Contouring can be a tricky procedure that is hard to get right. Half the battle is of course getting the perfect product that is especially designed to do the job.

 We have compiled a list of our favourite contours to help achieve that perfect bone structure.

 For tips on where you should be applying these products take a look at Sam's tutorial on the contour trend at the end.

M.A.C Pro Sculpting Cream

Cream contour products are much easier to blend as they melt into the skin.

Giving a natural sheer-medium coverage M.A.C sculpting creams have a superb range of colours to suit from the fairest to the darkest skin tones.

The six different shades go on as cream but dry to a powder finish. They can be used all over the face wherever a contour is needed.

£15.50 each and available in store and from www.maccosmetics.co.uk

 

Chanel Ombre Contraste in Notorious 

This sheer coverage contour powder is part of Chanel's limited edition collection Contrastes Essentiels de Chanel for Autumn/Winter 2012.
Beautifully packaged in a classic chanel mirrored compact with added small contour brush.
This domed matte powder has a grey/lilac tint and would be best used on skin tones ranging from light through to medium. Also amazing in the crease on they eye for a subtle smokey look.

Exclusively available from 21st Sepember 2012  in Chanel Boutiques, Harrods, Selfridges, John Lewis W1, House of Fraser Glasgow and Fenwick Newcastle.
Priced at £31.00

 

 Sleek Make-up Face Contour Kit

Sleek have three powder contour kits called light, medium and dark.
We have found the light and medium colours to be slightly orange for a good subtle contour however the dark kit is a great contour on darker skin tones.
Including a matte contour and an illuminating highlighter with a mirrored lid this is an affordable duo at £6.49.
Available from www.sleekmakeup.com

 

 

 Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder in Medium

This matte powder contour comes in a super slimline compact with small sponge.
The colour in medium is a mixture of brown, grey and red pigments designed to blend into the skin tones whilst creating a natural shadow.
Slightly more expensive at £34.00.
Available from www.spacenk.com

Illamasqua Cream pigment in Hollow and Delerium

Another cream contour that is great for a stronger matte contour and has the added benefit of being water resistant. The colour Hollow is a greyish soft tone that is a perfect contour for fair skin tones. Delerium is a deeper more plum colour that would be more suited to a deeper skin tone.

Priced at £17.00 and available from www.illamasqua.com

 

Hollow

 

Delerium

What are your best contouring products?

Clinique Pink with a purpose

To commemorate Estee Lauder Companies Breast Cancer awareness campaign Clinique will be releasing a Limited Edition Chubby stick.




 This gorgeous baby pink colour comes inside a matching pink cosmetic carrying pouch with a heart shaped charm attached to the zip.
 For every one purchased £2.00 will go straight to The Breast Cancer research foundation.
Since its beginnings in 1993 the foundation has raised over $315 million to support the most advanced and promising breast cancer research that will help lead to prevention and cure of this hideous disease.

 These limited edition Chubby sticks are £16.00 and are available from Clinique counters in Selfridges and Boots from October 2012 so hurry as these will sell through quickly.
You can get hold of your Pink ribbons for Breast Cancer at counters also.




If you would like more information on The breast cancer research foundation please view www.bcrfcure.org
For more details of this launch and other  Clinique products check out www.clinique.co.uk


Check out this inspirational video about the campaigns messages of courage.

Nourish Skincare

 Nature and Nurture is the philosophy of British skincare brand Nourish.

They believe by using natural ingredients you can nurture the skin and optimise your skin's health around your lifestyle.

Choosing skincare can get very confusing so I really like that Nourish keep it simple by grouping their products under the four tabs of Protect, relax, balance and radiance.

Each line up contains a cleanser, toner, moisturiser and peptide serum.

Colour coded boxes help you identify your nurturing requirements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RELAX

If you have stressed out, sensitive skin that often has allergic response to daily pollutants then head for the purple boxed line of Nourish relax.

 Stressed out skin is soothed with the usual suspects of lavender and omega rich oils.These act as an anti inflammitory and help balance out the skin.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PROTECT

Yellow indicates a dry skin that is in need of extra moisture to repair areas of flaky dehydrated skin.

Packed full of citrus moisturising ingredients such as lemon, orange and mandarin skin is left hydrated and supple.

  

 

RADIANCE

 Red is for radiance and would suit a 'normal' skin type which feels neither oily or dry but sometimes looks dull and fatigued.

Light reflecting Tonka bean and rose aid skins brightness whilst helping to bounce light off of dark circles.

BALANCE

For skin that can't decide if it's dry or oily then balancing green range will help.

Gentle enough so not to strip skin of it's precious oils but contains properties such as apple and jojoba to control sebum and restore the skins PH levels.

To compliment each range their is a peptide serum that fits in with each skin type.The serums are able to reach deeper layers of the skin to give skin the extra boost it needs to look as fabulous as nature intended.

Nourish is an affordable skincare range that focuses on using mostly organic, natural ingredients.Each product actually smells like the ingredients it lists.

 Hand creams and shower gels complete the range and with their gift sets starting at £45.00 these would be a perfect present for any skin care addict.

Checkout the individual prices and extra information on their website http://www.nourishskinrange.com/

Bourjois Faux and Fabulous

Faux and Fabulous is a new range of false lashes and applicator from Bourjois.
 Launched this September bourjois have designed 5 new types of false lashes including

 

Smoky eyes

£5.99

A graduated fluttery lash with a thick black lattice effect at the root.

 

 

 

 

Rock Chic

£7.99

A winged out lash that has finer lashes on the inner corner and thick black lashes at the edges for a feline look.

 

 

 

 

 

More Volume

£7.99

A much finer natural lash that has tons of thin lashes that become denser at the edges of the eye.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lady in black

£7.99

A half corner lash with a mixture of thick and fine lashes seperated by small black gems.

 

 

 

Miss Couture

£10.99

A collaboration with Paperself these are beautiful paper stencil like patterns in a delicate leaf style.

If all of this wasn't enough they have launched a handy tool to assist in application.
 2-in-1 tweezers and false lash applicator.
 Resembling a weird pink fish this applicator has a curved grip at one end which allows you to hold the lashes firmly and place them accurately.
 At the other end is a soft hoofed tip which helps to gently press the lashes onto the lash line securely.
This applicator is £3.49

These will all be available from www.boots.co.uk www.superdrug.co.uk and asos.com

Kohl Kajal review

Kajal pencils are a cross between a pencil and a gel liner. They are an extra soft product with a natural matte finish. Designed in a stubby triangle shape so that they can be easily blended around the eye or smudged over the lid as an eyeshadow.
 Perfect for people who like a smokey, blown out liner look rather than a precise feline flick.
Best used at a slight angle rather than straight on so that they keep a point.
When product starts to wear down to the base I would use it more as an eye shadow, using it as the perfect base for a strong dark eye.


Clarins new limited edition Kohl Kajal pencils (part of Enchanted summer collection) are inspired by the Indian festival of colour.
Reminding us of our school fountain pen these are a super soft, intensely pigmented kohl that has a chunky pointed nib.
Because of the long handle it's really easy to draw designs on the skin with aswell.
Available in two colour options of Black for a smokey look or violet which will make any eye colour pop.
Perfect for people who like a soft pencil that is easy to use and blend and that will not drag the skin.
The colour lasts well on the skin with no creasing or transfer but wore off quickly on the waterline.
Each kohl is £15.00 each and available for a limited time from http://www.clarins.co.uk/


The Bourjois version is in smaller packaging which is great for your makeup bag or travelling. The actual product is also bigger than the Clarins version and slightly fatter.
Although the colour is black it's not quite as jet black as Clarins and the texture is slightly dryer.
Still really easy to use and although dryer than the Clarins Kajal it glides on smoothly. Due to the slightly drier formulation I found it stayed in my water line for longer.

This is priced at £6.99 and is available from Boots and Superdrug from November 2012.
 www.boots.com  www.superdrug.com


Sleek Make-up are great at keeping up with the latest in make up trends and at such an affordable price.
Again with a twist up mechanism this product glides over the eye and blends well. I found this product did crease slightly more on the lid when used as an eyeshadow.
Also available in a vibrant frosted purple.
These are £4.49 each and available from http://www.sleekmakeup.com and www.superdrug.com

Magnetic Lash

My lashes are pretty standard, boring blonde lashes so I enjoy trying out new lash enhancing products.
Magnetic Lash is a new instant lash lengthening mascara. In each box you will find a 12g tube of mascara in black and a curious looking 1g tube of lash builder.

The mascara is very nice. A thin, plastic bristle brush that separates the lashes nicely. The texture of the mascara is creamy and a rich jet black.
Containing Hyaluronic acid (sounds scary but this is produced naturally in the body to aid lubrication) and Vitamin E to nourish and condition.

Once you have applied your desired amount of mascara things get a bit exciting as you need to apply your Lash Builder.
The lash builder reminds me of black candy floss on a stick, the brush is packed full of tiny fibres which you gently brush over your mascara coated lashes.
The fibres cling to the lashes enhancing their length and volume.
Keep the fibres to the tips of the lashes and try not to bulk the base of the lashes too much.

Lastly apply another coat of the mascara to seal in the fibres.

For those with limited time and who don't like to faff about then this is not for you. For those who spend 5 minutes applying mascara and positioning every lash then you will love this product.

I was a bit dubious of the lash builder as I wear contact lenses so thought the fibres would irritate my eyes but there was no fall down or irritation.





The finished result was very long, dark dramatic lashes. Very separated and spidery. Great if you like this full on lash look that gives you the appearance of false lashes.
 I would wear this if I was going for a really dark smokey eye for the evening but probably wouldn't wear it on a daily basis.

You can get hold of Magnetic Lash for £24.99 form www.santhilea.com

Favourites: Clinique Chubby Sticks

I'm sure the Chubby stick phenomenon has reached you all but I really wanted to write a piece on these little gems.

If you haven't experienced them yet, They are an oversized retractable crayon lip balm containing Shea Butter and Mango, ideal for rescuing dry lips from the season changes.

They are currently available in 16 different shades but I am sure this range will expand as the years go on.

They give you a sheer veil of moisturised tint to the lips. Easy to use and retouch, they are suitable for all ages and skin types.

Colours can be worn alone or layered on top of each other to produce a unique colour especially for you!

A 3g stick is priced at £16 in the UK and there is currently an limited edition Chubby boxset online which contains 8 chubby sticks for £110.

Our favourite shades are Two Ton Tomato - a vibrant orange red and Heaping Hazelnut - the absolute perfect nude. 

See Nic use a Chubby Stick in Woppin' Watermelon in the fab Kim Kardashian look below.

Shu Uemura Volume Maker

I saw Sam using this whilst prepping her hair for a tutorial and as a lover of massive volumised hair I had to snatch it from her to use!
It looks like a make up brush but in the casing it contains a texturising powder that is distributed out onto the brush in one click of the end.

You separate your hair where you want the volume, dust the brush back and forth at the root, flap the hair back down and massage the root a little.
I have seen similar products such as Dust it by Otis that do the same thing but I love that you can apply precisely where you want it with the brush.
It is kind of like dry shampoo that it gives bulk to the hair and refreshes lank hair between washes, although it claims to be suitable on all hair colours I would use it sparingly on dark brown or black hair as it may start to look a little grey and dusty.
A great little accessory for your handbag or to travel although rather expensive.

Check out http://www.shuuemura.com/ internationally but also available from http://www.feelunique.com in the UK at £31.00

Favourites: Sleek Ultra Matte Palettes

We love Sleek for being an affordable brand that always manages to stay up to date with the trends in make-up. 

Famous for their 12 pan eyeshadow palettes used by make-up enthusiasts and make-up artists alike, their i-Divine Ultra Matte Palettes are amazing.

The Bright V1 and Dark V2 Ultra Matte Palettes both contain 12 eyeshadows each cased in their trademark super slim compact. These are undoubtably some of the best high street matte shadows we have used, if not the best. 

The benefit of matte shadow is that they photograph and enhance contours beautifully under harsh camera flash as well as natural light, they are also a little more forgiving on textured skin around the eye. Mattes can be a little tricker to blend but these shadows take little effort at all. The colours are extremely buildable and nicely pigmented too.

The sponge applicators included do pick up the colour well but I would ditch them in favour of a brush to make blending easier.

If you want to create a bold, vivid eye then opt for the bright palette.These colours are a solid pop of neon. Go all out and create a bright rainbow of colour on the eye or use them as a liner on the top or bottom lid to add a colourful edge.

The darks palette is just what you need for a smokey eye that has more intensity that a shimmery smokey eye.

Plums, blues, browns and bottle greens complement all eye colours and skin tones and the lighter creams and whites add a highlight without the frosted look of the 80's

Palettes are £6.49 each and available from www.sleekmakeup.com

Check out these videos where Sam creates two different looks using the Dark Ultra Matte V2 Palette   

WIN - Pixiwoo 5 Day Course

• You and a friend could be learning all the make-up tips and tricks from us during the 15^th - 19^th October 5 day intensive.
  We run 5 day intensive make up courses to give you the knowledge, skills and confidence to become brilliant with make-up. 
  The course covers everything from basic every day make up, bridal, drag, editorial, camouflage, period make up from 1920-present day and specialist skills.
• You will win :-
• Return travel for 2 people to Norwich
• Return transfers from the station to the hotel
• 6 Nights accommodation at the Georgian House Hotel Breakfast each morning in the hotel restaurant
• 5 day Pixiwoo intensive make up course for beginners
• £50.00 per person

       Click here to enter 

                                   This giveaway is courtesy of Heart Radio and No.7

Shell Lip Balm

Growing up on the coast we love all things beachy so we were all fighting over this Shell lip balm when it arrived at Pixiwoo HQ.

All shells are 100% real and after being cleaned and restored they are then filled with an organic lip balm made from Coconut, Rosehip, Macadamia and Jojoba oil set in Beeswax.

Balm is clear and super moisturising.

There are four shell options including a Tiger Crown, White Frangipani, Mocha and Oriental fan shell.

All the shells are natural and therefore they may vary from each other slightly and may not be perfect but we think this adds to the beauty!

Tiger Crown

Each shell has a metal clasp attached and small mirror.

The shells are £12.99 each and are also available for shipment to Finland,Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. 

Check out their website for more information and to purchase on http://www.shelllipbalm.co.uk

No7 Matchmade Foundation Service

If you haven't heard the buzz about this in the last week then I have to question where you have been.
The No.7 Matchmade Foundation Service uses a nifty little handheld gadget to assess which of the fifteen shades of No.7 foundation matches your skin perfectly. The consultant can then tell you which of the 8 different finishes will suit your needs best.
There are foundations suitable for dry, normal, oily, dehydrated, tired, mature and all come in an array of shades from pale to dark.

Nic and I were lucky enough to try this service out before the launch and it really is incredible.
Here are a few of the videos we created while using it.

Oh, and if you haven't tried the new Instant Radiance foundation...go out and get matched. It is amazing. See me using it in the video below.

Bourjois Dissolvant

We are big fans of painted nails here at Pixiwoo and with such a huge array of colours to choose from we constantly want to change what we are wearing. The biggest chore though is removing it!
I'm sure there are other similar products on the market but I love Bourjois Dissolvant.

The pot is filled with a sponge infused with nail polish remover. The sponge has a hole in the center which you place your finger in. Simply twist the bottle around your finger and a second later all of your nail polish is removed.
The only time I felt like I had to put a bit more effort into the removal was when I was wearing glittery nail polish. I soaked my finger in the pot a little longer but it still came off!
I wouldn't recommend sniffing nail polish remover but this one does smell very nice and feels really conditioning on the nails.

Make sure you keep the lid on tight so it doesn't dry out and also keep the pot level. If you tip it up liquid will pour out!
Available from http://www.boots.com for £4.99

Autumn/Winter Trends

September is here and although we constantly hear talks of an "Indian Summer" in September I don't think we should hold our breath!
I have already noticed that with regards to clothes on the high street, summer is long gone and it has been replaced with sequins, lace, chunky knits and all things wintery. Any chance of buying a pair of sunglasses or summer hat are slim to none.
So with this in mind we turn our attentions to the Autumn/Winter trends of 2012/13.
As fashions on the high street change so do trends in make up.

There is never only one trend, so often you may feel like one trend contradicts another but you don't have to incorporate all the trends in one look. Take ideas that fit in with your own taste and style.

The big story for this season is flawless skin that radiates a healthy glow. Facial features are sculptured and contoured but so that the shade melts into the skin seamlessly with no harsh lines.
Weather you have a porcelain skin tone or a winter tan you should ensure foundation blends to neck and chest. Skin is effortlessly flawless with no powdery textures. This is achieved through clever layering of several products rather than a heavy layer of one foundation, effectively creating a 'no make-up' make-up look.

Good skincare is essential for a flawless face but I have listed a few products for you to check out that would help you to achieve this look.

Skin prepping products.... 

MAC Strobe cream, MAC Prep and Prime Fortified skin enhancer, Mememe Beat the blues skin illuminator, Marks and Spencer Autograph instant radiance primer, Jemma Kidd Dewy Glow All Over Radiance Crème

 

 

Foundations.....

Nars Sheer glow, MAC Face and Body foundation, Bobbi Brown Illuminating finish compact foundation,Laura Mercier Illuminating tinted moisturiser.

Sculpting/Contour products...

Tom Ford Shade and illuminate, MAC Sculpting creme (available from 6 Sept), Ben Nye Compact powders, Make up Forever Sculpting kits, Ben Nye Creme Contours.


Check out Sam recreating a similar look.






You may have seen Moroccan inspired colours on the high street with tons of gold and jewel encrusted bangles. This trend has followed through into make up with stained vibrant lips and blown out smokey eyes in ochre yellow and cranberry.
Skin is still flawless but cheeks are warmed with blush in peach, rust and terracotta.
Keep eyes softly blended but in deeper plums, blues and browns with gold highlights.

Eye products....

MAC Retrospeck, Amber lights and Sketch shadows, Sleek I-Devine palette in Sunset, Collection lasting colour gel liner in gold, Barry M coloured mascara.

Lips......

Estee Lauder pure colour lipstick in  twinkling ruby or passion fruit, Shu Uemura gloss in Shimmery tangerine, Clinique Chubby stick in Two ton tomato or Richer Raisin.

See how Nic recreates this trend based look below.





These products are of course suggestions that would help to re create these looks but we would love to hear about your key trend look for this autumn/winter.

Supermodel Series: Helena Christensen

Helena Christensen as seen in I-D 'The Flesh and Blood' Issue, Winter 2009

 

PRODUCTS USED:
Chanel Vitalumiere
MAC Studio Finish
MAC Guilt by Association Eyeshadow
MUFE Metal Powder in 3
MAC Brun e/s
AVON Supershock eyeliner
Clinique High Impact Mascara
Tom Ford Intensity One Shadow and Illuminate
Collection Powder Puff lip in 2